Standard Deck Tech: Golem ex - Build with the 151 Sub Set

With the upcoming release of the "151" special set (Pokémon Card 151 or 151 Kanto Sub Set), I'll be posting Deck Techs for Standard with theories of the new cards, which will come in mid-September for us in the west.

It's worth stressing that cards have numbers and codes based on the eastern version, that is, sv2a, which can't be used in tournaments! They'll only be available to play with when they come to the west with the American translation, and the sv3a code.

In this article, I'll show you a Golem ex list, whose first attack has the effect of granting additional damage to the next turn's attack, dealing an initial base damage of 50 points. On the following turn, it gets an addition of 120 damage for just one energy, which is excellent against the format's dominant Electric types, besides Arceus VSTAR CRZ GG70.

Decklist

Golem ex: The Star of the Deck

Dynamic Rollout (F): deals 50 damage, but, during the next turn, this Pokémon can deal 120 additional damage against your opponent's active Pokémon.

Boulder Blaster (F)(C)(C): deals 180 damage, and this attack isn't affected by resistance.

There are three strategies with this Pokémon:

1) Pressuring your opponent with the first attack to deal 50 damage and then adding the 120 damage from the buff effect - which means, on your next turn in the game, you'll deal 170 damage for just one energy.

2) Use the first attack's effect, dealing 50 damage (considering the 120 additional damage on the next turn), and with that, use its second attack, Boulder Blaster (F)(C)(C), if you equipped Double Turbo Energy BRS 151 to deal 280 damage (you should consider the 20-point reduction because of the special energy's effect).

3) You can continue with the first attack constantly, stalling your opponent, until your Golem ex sv2a 76 has a critical amount of HP. We'll use Cheryl BST 123 to heal it, and, as this attack only uses one basic Fighting type energy (F), you won't be that far behind when you lose it, as you already have two recycling items: Super Rod sv2 188 and Energy Recycler BST 124.

Additionally, to make our Pokémon even more resistant, we have the tool Rock Chestplate sv1 192, which reduces 30 points of damage (after applying weakness and resistance).

Drapion V: Fusion Strike, Single Strike and Rapid Strike Counter

Its goal is to deal double damage to Mew VMAX LOR TG30, because of its weakness to the Dark type, totaling 380 damage.

As Mew players always need Genesect V FST 185, it will always guarantee you Drapion V LOR 118's attack cost, which makes it an excellent counter.

Recursive Pokémon

- Manaphy BRS 41 comes in with its ability Wave Veil: if this Pokémon is in play, all your benched Pokémon are immune to "sniper" damage coming from your opponent's Pokémon (don't confuse "sniper” damage with "spread damage". The latter refers to those damage counters, for instance Sableye LOR 70 in its attack, Lost Mine). With Manaphy, you'll prevent damage coming from Pokémon such as Kyogre CRZ 36 and Heatmor FST 41.

- Bidoof CRZ 111 has the ability Carefree Countenance, which protects it against damage to the bench caused by attacks, which is very useful to evolve it to Bibarel.

- Bibarel BRS 121 comes in with its ability Industrious Incisors, which allows you, once per turn, to draw until you have five cards in hand.

- Skwovet sv1 151 has Nest Stash: if it's in play, you can activate its ability at any point in the game. In case you do, you shuffle your hand and place all your cards at the bottom of your deck, and next, you'll draw a card from the top of your deck.

The Skwovet Bibarel combo is: you'll reduce your hand to only one card with Skwovet's ability; next, you'll combine this with Bibarel's ability effect, always drawing five cards!

Trainer Cards

Supporter: Card Draw and Opponent Sabotage

Avery CRE 130 allows you to draw three cards, and, besides that, your opponent will discard Pokémon from their bench until they only have three slots occupied.

This disrupts decks which need recursive Pokémon on the bench, such as Bibarel BRS 121, Manaphy BRS 41 and Skwovet sv1 151.

“Catcher” Supporter

Supporter: Sabotage your Opponent's Hand

Supporter: Healing

Notice that Cheryl BST 123 can only heal evolved Pokémon. She is capable of healing all damage this Pokémon took, but, you'll have to discard all energies attached to it.

As your focus will be using Golem ex sv2a 76's first attack, Dynamic Rollout (F), you'll be dealing 50 to 170 damage for just one energy, and you'll never have downsides to recovering these energies, as it is a very low cost.

Recycling Supporter

Cyllene ASR 138 is useful to recycle any resource from the discard pile, as long as your two coins tossed fall on heads. For each coin you hit, you'll be able to get any card from the discard pile - and, ideally, you'll always recycle Cheryl BST 123 and Pal Pad sv1 182.

Pokémon Search Items

Item to Cheat Out the Evolution Line

Rare Candy PGO 69 is a vital card to speed up your game strategy, as it is with it you'll skip steps in your Pokémon's evolution process.

Recycling Items

Item to Interact with the Enemy Bench

Tools

Rock Chestplate sv1 192 is useful only for Fighting type Pokémon. They get a 30-point damage reduction (after applying weakness and resistance) - which is perfect to make Golem ex sv2a 76 more durable in play.

Stadiums

- Path to the Peak CRE 148 applies to all players: all Rule Box Pokémon can't use abilities with this stadium in play.

This is excellent to sabotage your opponent's Pokémon if they use abilities, as the format is full of them: Mew VMAX LOR TG30, Lugia VSTAR SIT 211, Chien-Pao ex sv2 61, Charizard ex sv3 125, Giratina VSTAR CRZ GG69 and Arceus VSTAR CRZ GG70, for instance.

- Pokémon League Headquarters sv3 192 is useful to disrupt Lost Box users which use Single Prize Pokémon in their deck, forcing them to spend more energies.

Special Energy

Double Turbo Energy BRS 151 is useful as a “Double Colorless” energy, but it applies a 20-point damage reduction to your attacks. It is very useful to pay for Golem ex sv2a 76's second attack.

- Damage practicality with only one energy dealing a generous amount. It can also be a "tanker" thanks to Rock Chestplate sv1 192, and heal itself with Cheryl BST 123.

- Needing one energy to attack with Golem ex sv2a 76's first attack, Dynamic Rollout (F), we have a certain damage advantage, which is excellent for the Fighting archetype.

Advantages

- Type advantage against some Dark type Pokémon, such as Gengar VMAX FST 157's deck.

- Colorless archetype Pokémon which have a weakness to it, such as Arceus VSTAR CRZ GG70, Slaking V PGO 58, Wyrdeer V ASR 134.

- Electric archetype Pokémon. Miraidon ex PR-SV 28's line with Regieleki VMAX SIT 58 is predominant; just like alternative lines with Raichu V BRS 45, Raikou V BRS 48, Luxray V ASR 50 and similar.

- Arceus VSTAR CRZ GG70 decks with Flying Pikachu VMAX CEL 7.

Disadvantages

- Grass decks, such as Shaymin VSTAR BRS 14, Leafeon VSTAR CRZ 14, Wo-Chien ex sv2 27 and, in the nearby future, Venusaur ex sv2a 3, due to the archetype weakness, which takes double damage.

- United Wings decks, which is a "Single Prize" Pokémon - that means, even if they get behind as they lose their Pokémon, they get stronger for each Pokémon discarded into the discard pile, increasing their base damage, which can turn the game in their favor.

- Lost Box decks.

- Decks which use supporters such as Avery CRE 187, which reduce your bench's size, and can sabotage your Bibarel BRS 121, Manaphy BRS 41 and Skwovet sv1 151, depending on how your opponent plays.

We have here a cheap, accessible and simple deck, which is consistent when taking damage, healing, and providing Pokémon profitability. We have to be aware of our own limitations as we use evolution steps, which is different from V, VStar and VMax cards which set up more quickly and are more practical to attack with. But it is worth it to test out this deck and have fun!

See you next time!